Interaction information analyzer

ABSTRACT

Apparatus is provided for the rapid ascertainment and display of values quantifying the quality of a dialogue, as respects message-block length, participation frequencies for various Bn persons, actual information, maximum information, redundancy, transmission, equivocation, and the like. The apparatus comprises means for generating signals coded corresponding to various dialogue events; information storage means such as magnetic tape and the like; function-generation means responsive to the information storage means; and suitable output means, such as an array of odometers (10-by-10), a strip-chart recorder, etc., as well as preferably also a temporary valve-identification means such as a plurality of viewplates.

United States Patent [72] Inventors Gene W. Molar 3,380,031 4/l96l Clayton etal 340/1725 9230 Perry Hwy mam-u. Pa- [5237; 2,609.6 9/ 1952 Chapple 35/22 R 'y rg I Primary Examlner- Raulfe I. Zache [2 I p No 60' Attorney-Brown, Murray, Flick 8c Peckham |22l Filed Sept. 10, I969 Palemed ABSTRACT: Apparatus is provided for the rapid ascertain- M mem and display of values quantifying the quality of a di- 54 E C'HO INFORMATION ANALYZER alogue, as respects message-block leag th, partlclpation 9 chm. 7 Damn at frequencies fOIdIiII'IOUS Bn persons, actual Informat on, maximum information, redundancy, transmission, equivocauon, [52] U.S. Cl 340/1725 and [he "kt The appnms means f mulling 3/00 signals coded corresponding to various dialogue events; infor- [SO] Field olSearch 340/1715; maion flora: mean ch munctic PC and h k 346/33 R; 35/22 R function-generation means responsive to the information storage means; and suitable output means. such as an array of [56] Rderencu CM odometers (IO-by-IO), a strip-chart recorder, etc, as well as UNITED STATES PATENTS preferably also a temporary valve-identification means such as 3,328,763 6/1967 Rathbun et a]. 340/1725 a plurality of viewplates.

savanna anus s'rn a can? couumma an nconnn gun-generous was INFORMATION ITORAGE MEAN! FOR RECORDING GETS DF 31IIOLS access on nuns roe CALCULATING nonsumzs or nuLoa cvzurs AND BIOUEHCES or mama svzurs. a VALUEI, 51c

MEANS MICROPHONE PATENTEU (1H 5 l97| SHEEI 1 OF 5 ;0 FIG. I.

KEYBOARD mems STRIPCHART counmme seT necoaoen 28 OF mrenacnou 6O smsoes ,1 l 35 4|- al 35 (E5 conmmo l 2 PANEL 1 3 meonamou STORAGE PRocess on menus eon 2 82 MEANS eon neconoma CALCULATING moans.- sers OF sYuaoLs 5 mes or DIALOG evems 4 AND sequences or m- 4 ALOG even'rs, HVALUES,

43 OUTPUT 88 news 72 as T J mcnoruoue souuo RECORDING n MEANS 40 as r50 souuo REPLAY 78 MEANS j SPEAKER -56 Attorneys INVENTDRS. GENE W. MOSER 8 JAMES E. TEZA B PATENTEI) OCT 5 I9?! 3.611.313

SHEEISIIFS .00 I. 00.00 o 0.00 0| 0 I OI OI 0| 0 I OI OI OI OI 0| 0 I 0| 0| OI OI O I OI 0 I O l O I 0| 0 I 0| 0| o o l 2 I 2 I2 I 2 I 2 I 2 l 2 I 2 I 2 l 2 I2 I 2| 2 I 2 l 2 I2 I2 I 2 l 2 l 2 I2 I 2 l 2 I 2 I 2 o o o o 0 0 GENE W. M OSER a z JAMES E. TEZA MW Attorneys INVENTORS.

INTERACTION INFORMATION ANALYZER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION l Field of the Invention This invention relates to apparatus for quantifying the quality of a dialogue.

2. Description of the Prior Art Dialogues of various sorts occur. Among these may be men tioned teacher-pupil dialogues in classroomlike situations, marriage-counseling sessions, litigation settlement negotiations between lawyers, sales-training sessions, labor-management negotiations, etc. It has usually been the practice to permit such dialogues to occur without observing them in any way, let alone trying to characterize them or analyze them, in the hope that something might be learned thereby that would hereafter in some way lead to the development of knowledge of practices whereby the quality and usefulness of such dialogues may be substantially improved.

The invention has broad applicability to the analyses of dialogues, but it has particular usefulness in the area of improv ing the quality of classroom teaching. It is known that an evaluation of the quality of teaching being done in a classroomlike situation can be obtained by putting a trained observer into the classroom, either merely for the purpose of making observations or for the purpose of correcting mistakes made by the teacher. A drawback of this method is that it is relatively expensive, requiring the full-time attention of the trained observer. Moreover, the evaluation obtained is almost entirely subjective; there is little reproducibility in such evaluations, so that they are of relatively little value for furthering the science of education.

It is known, moreover, to provide the classroom with listening devices, so that a person positioned at a central station may tune in upon a given one of a plurality of classrooms in which instruction is being given. Although this permits the time of the observer to be used greatly more efficiently, it is objectionable on a number of grounds as a tool for promoting the science of education. The data that it affords are relatively unconcentrated." This method serves as a check against offsubject teacher monologues, but it is not adapted to provide the data for establishing the quality of the dialogue developed between the teacher and the class during the presentation of the subject. Moreover, the teaching process is not limited to verbalizations that can be picked up by a microphone or tape recorder. Demonstrations and nonverbal expressions of assent or disapproval should be taken into account.

For the advancement of the science of education, there have been recent developments in education research in accordance with which there have been developed some sets of symbols that represent the various kinds of verbal or nonverbal behavior that take place in classrooms. For example, there are the systems of Flanders (Flanders, Ned A., Teacher lnfluence, Pupil Attitudes, and Achievement), E. 025040, U.S. Office of Education, 1965), and of Parakh (Parakh, Jal. S., A Study of Teacher-Pupil Interaction in High School Biology Classes, Cornell University, Ithaca New York, Doctoral Dissertation, 1965). These symbol-systems permit a trained observer to make shorthandlike notes of events occurring within an observed period of time. See the description given hereinbelow in the description of the preferred embodiments of the invention for a specific example of the kinds of events recorded. Evaluation of the quality of classroom dialogue by means of such systems of symbols has, of course, been practiced, but this also has disadvantages. Proper observation requires the full attention of the observer, and this tends to interfere with having the observer make proper observation of the passage of time, such as the marking-off of the observed events into 5-minute time intervals. It is also greatly to be desired, but not to be obtained with a pencil-and-pad technique such as that hitherto used, that the labor of the observer in recording his observations be minimized, so that more attention can be devoted to the course of the events wk ing place in the classroom. It has also been true that the labor of evaluating the pencil-and-pad notes taken by the observer has been so great as to make analysis by manual compilation and tabulation unworkable, except with sets of data so limited as to be of little value.

In a copending application, Ser. No. 794,685, filed Jan. 28, 1969, there is disclosed an Interaction Symbol Recorder" that constitutes a considerable advance in the art of quantifying the quality of a dialogue. In accordance with the invention of the above-mentioned patent application, there is provided a signal-generating means comprising a keyboard, the keys upon which may be depressed by an observer upon the occurrence, in the dialogue being monitored, of a recordable event. The equipment described in that application operates to generate a signal, recorded upon magnetic tape or the like, corresponding to the event observed, and to derive from that tape, afier it is rewound and the output format selector switch described in that application is suitably positioned, an appropriate display upon a plurality of counters or odometers, indicating the frequencies of various kinds of events indicated and observed in the above-mentioned dialogue being monitored. The patent application speaks of reducing the time for a complete" evaluation of a dialogue from 3 hours to about [5 minutes. It is to be understood that this relates to observation of a dialogue having the duration of about 40 minutes, with the 3 hours referring to the length of time required to calculate the frequencies of the various individual kinds of events occurring in that dialogue, starting with pencil-and-pad notes. The above-mentioned l5 minutes refers to the length of time for the calculation of the same frequency figures, using the equipment of that invention.

In the science of information theory, there are several concepts that are useful to information theory students and researchers, enabling them at least in part to quantify the nature, characteristics or quality of a dialogue, although the persons skilled in the information theory are for the most part ignorant of the art of interaction analysis, and vice versa. These known but somewhat esoteric concepts of information theory include the H-values, relating to "actual information," maximum information," and equivocation." There is also an expression for transmission, and another for "redundancy. Those skilled in infonnation theory will perceive that algebraic equations are known for use in calculating the various quantities indicated above. Although some attention may have been paid to telephone conversations and the like in connection with information theory, using the various concepts indicated above, it has hitherto not been the practice to apply, in connection with interaction analysis of dialogues, such as hitherto been done in connection with classroomlike situa tions, the above-mentioned H-values and other aforementioned concepts or values.

Another difficulty is that, as has been indicated above with respect to the amount of time required for the analysis of the quality of a dialogue, using the interaction symbol recorder" invention mentioned above, quite a considerable amount of time would be required for the thorough analysis of the quality of a dialogue in a classroomlike situation or the like, including the other examples mentioned above, using the ideas mentioned above as having been developed in the field of information theory. The quantity of work that is required, in order to produce an analysis of a classroom situation dialogue or other dialogue, using the H-values that are familiar to information theory scientists, is so great that, although it is conceivable the necessary work could be done by a trained person, using pencil and paper, and starting with penciland-pad notes, the time required to produce a reasonably nearly complete analysis that would quantify the quality of a dialogue in such a situation is such that the work would not ordinarily be done, unless a person skilled in the processing of data, using a computer of the analog or digital kind, could be persuaded to address himself to the task of devising apparatus suitable for this end, and this has happened in the development of this invention.

The state of the art is such that the time required for a complete" analysis of the dialogue lasting, for example, about 40 minutes, as herein envisioned, even though use might be made of the invention of the above-mentioned application Ser. No. 794,685, filed Jan. 28, 1969, calculating l-l-values and the like, is something like ID to [2 hours. The apparatus of the above-mentioned application yields only the frequencies of the different ones of the various kinds of recordable events; it does nothing to indicate, for example, how frequently, after a teacher states a fact, a pupil requests an explanation, states a fact, or states an explanation, etc. The invention of the previous application, although itself a very considerable advance over the use of manual calculation on the basis of pencil-and-pad notes, falls far short of providing a complete" evaluation of a dialogue, as we now contemplate or as is understood by specialists skilled in information theory, including the providing of suitable H-values, measures of redundancy, transmission, equivocation, etc. Although the ways of arriving at these values for a given dialogue have been known, prior to the instant invention, it has nevertheless been such a time-consuming task (about l2 hours for a 40 minute dialogue, with recordable events occurring at the rate of about l2 per minute, using the invention of the above-indicated application Ser. No. 794,685, and about 15 hours without the use of that invention) that such analyses have seldom been done, except with respect to very limited sets of data. The prior art has not supplied any apparatus that would make available within a reasonable length of time, such as less than 30 minutes, a complete evaluation of the parameters that quantify the quality of a dialogue of 40-minute duration.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The apparatus of the invention comprises a keyboard, a command panel, an information storage means, a processing means responsive to the command panel, an output means comprising a first array of odometers or counters which preferably comprises about I odometers or other similar means, a second array of odometers or counters which preferably comprises about 36 odometers or other similar means, and a strip-chart recorder, preferably of a particular design that allows for the use of holes or other indexing indicia at various points along the length of the strip in the vicinity of its edges not only to indicate the passage of time but also to identify the various persons of the B group taking part in the dialogue. These abovenamed elements are, in accordance with the invention, of a special form, so as to be suitable for the thorough going and rapid analysis of the dialogue. The keyboard has keys containing a suitable set of symbols, such as those developed by Parakh. The information storage means preferably takes the form of magnetic tape, although other things could be used. The output means (arrays of odometers and strip-chart recorder) are ideally suited to serve the ends indicated above, making it possible to obtain quite rapidly (for example, in less time than the duration of the dialogue being analyzed) a complete analysis thereof, including the calculations of the l-l-values and the frequencies of not only the individual dialogue events but also of second-order and thirdorder combinations of dialogue events, such as the secondorder combination of ASF BQF (A states fact, B questions fact). The strip-chart recorder plots a point for each dialogue event, making it easy to locate message blocks emanating from A or B for further analysis or study. As indicated above, it also preferably identifies the individual B person associated with each recordable event that has emanated from a B group composed of n persons. The apparatus preferably includes soundtrack apparatus for recording and reproducing sound, so that portions of a dialogue may be recorded for further analysis and study, and timer means operatively associated with both the strip-chart recorder and the soundtrack apparatus, for the reliable placing, on the strip of the recorder and on the sound track, of signals at regular intervals, such as every minutes, indicating the passage of time.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS A complete understanding of the invention may be had from the foregoing and following description thereof, taken together with the appended drawings, in which:

FIG. I is a schematic diagram of the apparatus of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a representation of a keyboard of an observeroperated machine comprising a portion of the apparatus of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a representation of a command panel that comprises a portion of the apparatus of the present invention; and

FIGS. 4A-4D show a typical strip-chart record made by the strip-chart recorder means used in the practice one embodiment of the invention, the said figures comprising a single graph, parted on the lines, X-X, Y-Y, and 2-2 of said figures.

Referring now to FIG. I, this depicts in schematic form the entire apparatus of the present invention. To consider its principal parts, which will be discussed below in greater detail, the apparatus of the invention comprises a keyboard means 20, such as the keyboard 2! described below, that is, one containing a suitable set of interaction symbols for use in recording various dialogue events. This is operatively connected, as indicated by the line 22, to an information storage means 24 for recording sets of symbols. The information storage means is operatively connected, as at 2, to a strip-chart recorder 2., which produces a flow graph that provides a running visual record of the dialogue events, in the order of their occurrence, facilitating message-block and instruction ensemble analysis. There is provided, moreover, a command panel 29 which is operatively connected, as at 31, 33 and 35, to the information storage means 24, the strip-chart recorder 2!, and a processor means 32 for calculating frequencies and probabilities of dialogue events and of sequences of dialogue events, H-values, etc. The means 32 is connected, as by 34, with suitable output means 36 which, as indicated above, preferably comprise an array of odometers. The odometers comprising the output means 36 are preferably an array of I00 odometers, 10 by 10, that may contain a subset of 36 odometers for use in storing or displaying values with respect to the activities of individual ones of the n persons comprising the I group, n being a number of up to about 30. Alternatively, there may be provided a separate array of 36 odometers for the purpose indicated above.

The odometer: are preferably of the storage type, i.e., it should be possible to derive from them suitable signals proportionate to or indicative of the values displayed thereon, and there is indicated by the arrow 37 the operative connection between the means 32 and the means 36, whereby the storage odometers comprising a part of the output means 36 may also serve as inputs to the means 32. Similar operative connections between the means 32 and the recorder 28 are indicated by the arrows 39 and 41, and at 43, there is indicated the operative connection between the command panel 29 and the output means 36, whereby, for example, the odometers comprising the output means 36 may be cleared, etc.

Operating simultaneously with the keyboard means 20 there is a microphone 38, connected by a line 40 to a sound recording means 42. A timer 44 is provided that, as indicated by the lines 46 and 48, supplies to the means 24 and 42, respectively, at appropriate periodic intervals a signal indicating the passage of a certain amount of time, such as 5 minutes. The sound-recording means 42 is operatively connected, as at 50, to a sound replay means 52, which operates through a line 54 leading to a speaker 56.

Referring now to FIG. 2, there is shown a keyboard 21 comprising 32 keys which are arranged in rows 10-12 of ten keys each, a row 14 of l1 keys and a bottom row comprising a spacebar l6 and a cancel key 17.

The meanings of the various symbols on the keys of the keyboard 21 are indicated in the table below.

TABLE A- one person in the dialogue V= volunteer information being analyzed, usually the discussion leader or teacher X== explanation 8- another person in the dia- E- fact logue being analyzed, usually a member of a group, D- definition such as a pupil S- selflinitiated statement Roroutine O-= question Cacancel R= directed response Pa= problem-solvin Ev= evaluation N= nature of subject Ar. acceptance of response Rpqualification or correction Lk= lack of knowledge C= chastisement Do= demonstration WI writing J= 10kt Pa= pause EXAMPLE Symbol Event Set Explanation I ASRo: A states routine 2 ASRo; A states routine 3 ASF: A states fact 4 ASP: A states fact 5 ASF: A states fact 6 AOF: A questions fact 7 BRX 09: B No. 9 responds explanation 8 BRX 09: B No. 9 responds explanation 9 AQX: A questions elplanation I BVX B No. S volunteers explanation ll AOX; A questions explanation I! ASX: A states explanation l 3 ASK: A slates explanation 14 A00: A demonstrates IS ADo A demonstrates to A Do: A demonstrates l7 DDR0 ()3: B No. 3 questions routine ll! ESP 0!: B No. 3 states fact (self-initiated] l9 BSF 03: B No. 3 states fact (self-initiated 20 AOF: A questions fact 21 BSX 03: B No. 3 states explanation (self-initiated) 22 BSX 03: B No. 3 states explanation (self-initiated) 23 AOD: A questions definition 24 BVF 27: B No.27 volunteers fact 25 BVF 27: 8 No.27 volunteers fact 26 BVF 27: B No. 27 volunteers fact 27 ASLlr: A states lack of knowledge 28 BRX 27: B No. 27 responds explanation 2') BRX 27: B No. 27 responds explanation 30 AAc: A accepts It will be understood that after each of these events has taken place, the observer will depress the appropriate ones of the keys of the keyboard 21, ending with the spacebar 16 to indicate the completion of that particular set of symbols. In the case of the members of the B group, it is necessary to use the appropriate keys from the row to indicate which member of the B group took the action involved. Similar kind of coding can be used, if in place of the single member of the A group, there is, for example, a panel composed of up to 32 persons; the same symbols will be used, except that person-coding will then be required for both of the groups taking part in the dialogue.

Referring now to FIG. 3, there is shown a command panel 29 that, in cooperation with the keyboard 21, is used to cause the processing means 32 to operate in suitable desired ways upon the information stored in the means 24, yielding its output on the output means 36. To be more precise, the command panel 29 comprises a plurality of keys numbered 60-96, inclusive, the purpose and manner of using which will be explained more fully hereinbelow.

Referring now to FIG. 4, there is shown a portion of the strip or chart 98 produced by the strip-chart recorder 28. As one passes in a direction of the arrow 100, there are recorded, in the order of their occurrence, various events of a dialogue, the nature of the events being indicated by the legends I02. At 104, on the right-hand side of FIG. 4, there are indicated, by punching in the vicinity of the margin of the chart, the necessary identification of the B persons associated with different dialogue events. Moreover, although this is not absolutely necessary, it is preferably that the chart made by the stripchart recorder 28 be such as to have a line 106 running centrally thereof along its length, with the line I06 dividing the events associated with the A person or persons from those associated with the various B persons. This facilitates messageblock analysis. Also indicated on FIG. 4, at I08, is a blip indicating the passage of a 5-minute time interval or the like.

An understanding of the invention will be aided by consideration of the general nature of the calculations that are to be performed upon the data put into the analyzer by means of the keyboard 21, in order to arrive at the H-values and the like that constitute the output of the analyzer.

One of the I-I-values is the H sometimes called the actual information. This may be obtained from the equation where a is a number from, let us say, I to 54, assuming that with the set of interaction symbols used, there are 54 different kinds ofevents such as ASF or BVX, and where p indicates the probability of the occurrence of that particular kind of event in the dialogue under analysis. Inasmuch as there are, with a modified symbol system along the lines of that developed by Parakh, 21 different kinds of events involving A and 33 different kinds of events involving a person of the B group, and since it is desirable rather frequently to obtain a display of the frequency, probability, and/or H, for each of the kinds of event, it follows that it is desired that the apparatus of the invention include a first array of output counters or odometers, such as an array comprising 100 odometers, arranged in IQ rows of IO odometers each. It will also be desirable, but not absolutely necessary, that the odometers comprising this first array of odometers be such that they may be temporarily cleared, with it being possible, upon appropriate activation of a key on the command panel 29, that data on the odometers being restored to visible form. Of course, other means of storing data, once it is caused to appear on the odometers, may in some instances be used, but this is in general less convenient than the use of apparatus of the kind described above.

Another of the H-values is the H or H sometimes called maximum information. This is the logarithm to the base 2 of the total number of messages or kinds of messages. In accordance with the preferred mode of practicing our invention, this is obtained most conveniently by causing a function generator programmed to produce an analog signal corresponding to the logarithm to the base 2 of its output to operate upon an analog signal corresponding to the total number of messages; such an analog signal is conveniently obtained by a digital-to-analog conversion of a digital signal for total number of messages, conveniently run up upon one of unused counters in the 10 by ID array of counters. The output of the above-mentioned function generator must then, in most cases, be converted to digital form for display upon an output odometer; various kinds of analog-to-digital converters for doing this are well known.

Another related quantity is the redundancy R, which is defined as H minus Il /II times 100. In the preferred embodiment of our invention, automatic means for calculating the redundancy R are not provided; the H, and the various H n values are displayed on output odometers, making it a simple matter to calculate a redundancy It if one is needed. Of course, the possibility of providing automatic equipment for calculating the redundancy R for each of the various kinds of dialogue event and displaying them on the [0 by 10 array of output odometers is not to be completely ruled out, and if this kind of automatic equipment is to be provided, a suitable way of constructing it will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

Still another of the parameters to be determined in quantifying the quality of the dialogue is the transmission", which may be represented by the symbol T(A:B), where A is a first kind of dialogue event, such as ASP", and B is another kind of dialogue event such as "BRX". The transmission relates to the extent to which these events occur in the dialogue being examined, one right after the other. The expression of the transmission T(A:B) is H. (A) plus 1-1,,(5) minus H (AB). Considering that the calculations of values of H for each of SO-odd kinds of dialogue event, so as to provide the first two terms in the above expression, is itself laborious when done in accordance with prior art methods, it is not surprising that hitherto relatively little work has been done on the calculations of exprenions such a T( A:B so as to be able to relate the changes occurring that quantity to the changes that are occurring in the quality of the dialogue that is being examined and quantified Moreover, the number of possible AzB combinations, when using a set of symbols that allow for 54 possibilities, is quite large, being on the order of 3,000. Hitherto, it has been poaible to examine the transmission values only for some of the ones that seem to be most important.

As an example of what may be done in accordance with the present invention for making such transmission values more readily available or calculated, there is provided in accordance with one embodiment of this invention the necessary means whereby, upon proper actuation of the command panel and keyboard means, a magnetic tape is rapidly scanned to determine the frequency or H, values of the various kinds of dialogue event that follow a particular kind of dialogue event, such as ASF or AQX and these frequency values or H values are displayed on the l by l0 array of output odometers, to provide a matrix of output values. It will be convenient and desirable to provide also some sort of temporary identification means, such as a viewplate that may be fitted over the array of odometers, the viewplate having spaced perforations through which the odometers may be read, and associated with the perforations, identifying indicia relating to joint message occurrences. This shortens and greatly simplifies the task of arriving at desired transmission values.

Moreover, transmission values are sometimes calculated with respect to a group of three or more events, such as A, B, and C. It may be desirable to determine a three-event transmission, such as T( A,B:C), the expression for which is ",(AB) plus H (C) minus l-l,,(A,B,C). The procedure in calculating such a three-event transmission, using the equipment of our invention, is about the same. In most instances, the command panel will have already been operated during an earlier stage of the analysis of the same dialogue to cause the H,(C) and H,,(AB) values to be displayed upon the large array of output odometers. These values are copied down at that time, or the output odometers are of such kind that by appropriate manipulation of the command panel, the values calculated earlier in the same analysis can be caused to reappear on them. This means that in the calculations of the above-indicated three-event transmission value, it is necessary only to operate the command panel so as to cause the magnetic tape to be searched for the frequency of A,B C, and a number of such searches may be conducted simultaneously, with the frequency of the H, values for the various kinds of event C occurring after B being displayed on the large array of output odometers.

Still another of the H-values is the equivocation". This may be considered a measure of the uncertainty of the nature of an event which has occurred when a dialogue participant or observer knows an event that has followed it. The measurement is represented by the term H ,(A), and is given by the algebraic expression p(B)[p,(A)log,p,,(A)]. Similarly, there is the expression HA8), which is determined by the algebraic expression p(A)[p (B)log,p,(B)]. To some extent, some of the probabilities of joint events calculated in connection with the determination of H, or T(A:B) are useful again here. To the extent that this is not the case, the command panel is operated to cause the magnetic tape to be searched and the desired additional values needed for the calculation of the desired equivocation to be displayed upon the larger array of output odometers. Once again, as with the measures of transmission, the different kinds of joint events occurring in the dialogue are very numerous, and it has hitherto been completely impractical to calculate equivocation H-values for all of the, although information of this kind may prove quite valuable to workers in this field.

The meanings that are to be placed upon the calculated values of H H R, T(A:B), etc. are familiar to very few persons among those skilled in the field of interaction analysis, and much remains to be learned as the result of the availability of the very much greater amount of data concerning dialogues that are being made available as thoresult of the practice of this invention.

OUTPUT MEANS The output means 36 may take various forms to suit requirements. We find that the output means preferably includes the first array of odometers 10 by ID), a second array of odometers (6 by 6 and a strip-chart recorder that produces a strip such as that shown in FIG. 4. A large array of odometers is used, as indicated above, for displaying values of frequency or probability of various kinds of dialogue events, H values, and the like. The smaller array of odometers is especially useful for displaying information concerning the frequency of participation in the dialogues by various ones of the B, persons, and where the B group is limited to 30 persons, certain additional quantities, such as total number of messages, total number A-person message blocks, total number B-person message blocks, etc.

The chart 98 shown in FIG. 4, sometimes also referred to herein as the flow graph, constitutes an especially advantageous and desirable form of output for use in connection with this invention. It provides in visual form a convenient indication of the progress of the interaction or dialogue being studied. With its aid, it is easy to locate instances deserving of further study, such as the occurrence of a chastisement or the onset of a long B-person message block; the flow graph makes it possible to locate these readily on the sound track. From such a flow graph, a trained observer can readily tell the general nature and quality of the dialogue being analyzed. Long A-person message blocks are indicative of a lecture; short message blocks alternating between A and B are indicative of recitation, and long B-person message blocks with various B-persons participating, are indicative of a situation in which the interest of the B-persons in the subject has been stimulated, to the point where they begin to discuss it among themselves. The value of the flow graph will thus be readily apparent to those skilled in the science of education.

OTHER ELEMENTS The timer 44 operates electrically and mechanically to provide at suitable intervals, such as every 5 minutes, a signal, both to the sound-recording means and to the information storage means 24. Although it is desirable to obtain complete reliability and optimal ease of operation by making the conveying of the time signal to the information storage means automatic, satisfactory results can be obtained with the use of a simple timer that provides an audible chime every 5 minutes, with it being left to the operator of the keyboard 20 to create then in the means 24 a suitable indication, as by depressing the pause key of the keyboard three times in rapid succession, or depressing a special key (not shown) on the keyboard.

The sound track, comprising the microphone 38, soundrecording means 42, sound-replaying means 52 and speaker 56, may be of conventional construction.

OPERATION AND EXAMPLE There will now be described the operation of the equipment in accordance with the invention, as disclosed above. In particular, this description will relate to the use of the embodiment of the invention wherein a keyboard means is of the kind described above, having a plurality of individual parallel-arranged tuned circuits, and the information storage means comprises an array of storage odometers and a magnetic tape recorder. The keyboard used is that shown in FIG. 2, and the keyboard of the command panel 29 is that shown in FIG. 3. The strip-chart recorder 28 produces a strip or chart 98 such as that shown in FIG. 4.

into a classroom or other location of a dialogue to be analyzed, there is wheeled a console containing various equipment outlined in FIG. 1. An appropriate spool of two-channel magnetic tape is inserted into the machine, and the console is provided with electrical power, from a wall socket. When the dialogue that is to be analyzed begins, the microphone 38 is turned on, and the operator then begins with the use of keyboard means to record the various events comprising the dialogue. The operation of the means 20 and 24 is such that, each time the spacebar of the keyboard is depressed, there is generated on the magnetic tape of the means 24 a signal of suitable frequency; and at the same time, the sound track, comprising the microphone and sound-recording means 42, records the dialogue in the usual manner. This operation may be continued until a dialogue is completed, perhaps 40 minutes later. The tapes are preferably of such capacity as to permit a dialogue of at least that length to be analyzed without interruption for the changing of magnetic tape. If the console contains a strip-chart recorder, it may be turned on and permitted to operate as the dialogue being analyzed progresses, or if desired, the graph may be made later. in this regard, especially if the strip-chart recorder 28 is of the kind comprising a signal-seeking variable condenser, as mentioned above, it may prove desirable to make the graph later, possibly advancing the tape at a slower rate of speed that will allow the signalseeking circuit adequate time in which to operate. if this is done, suitable allowance is made for the shift in frequency of the signals on the magnetic tape that will be occasioned by the use of the slower replay speed.

When the dialogue is completed, the magnetic tape or tapes are rewound and may be removed from the console, which may then be switched off, the tape-containing frequency signals corresponding to the observed dialogue then may be taken separately to a processor means for the analysis of its contained data. Alternatively, the necessary processor means may be included in the equipment brought into classroom or other dialogue locations, and by appropriate operation of the command panel, an analysis of desired degree of thoroughness may be made in situ.

The operation of the invention will better be understood from the following example, relating to the occurrence of 100 dialogue events taking place in a time interval of about 8 minutes. The events taking place in the observed dialogue are indicated in the following table.

TABLE Event Symbol Set Qmuauhuru- Table Continued Event Symbol Set 22 AOF 23 ASF 24 ASP! 25 BRF (01) 26 lsF (08) 27 AQF 2s AQF 29 BRF 0| 30 ASP 3| ASP :2 ASF 33 ASEv 34 ASP :5 ASF 36 ASF 37 ASF 38 AOX 39 AOF 40 IRF 0|) 4] MIX (01 42 llX on 43 IRX (GI) 44 ASP 4S BVF (09) 46 BVX (09) 41 BvX 09 4s avx 0:) 49 BVF 03 $0 avx 03) 5| BVX 03 $2 BVX (03) 53 IVX 03 54 AOX s5 Bax 03) 56 ASP 57 ASF 5s Asx 59 ASX 60 ASP 6! AOF 62 IVF (03) 63 AOF 64 BSF I0) 65 ASF as AAc 67 K I0) 68 SK ([0) s9 Bsx (I0) 70 Aox 7| svF (l l) 72 AQF 73 BSF n 1 74 AOF 75 ISF l l l 76 ASP 17 AQX 7s AOX 79 55X (l I) so asx 0:) s1 MIX 00 B2 BSX (I0) 83 BSX (I0) 84 ASP 8S HSX I0) 86 nsx 10) B7 BSX (l0) as ISX no 89 lox 03) 90 ASP 9| 35x 03 92 AQF 93 BSX (0!) 94 BSX (03) 95 BSX (03) 96 BSX [03) 97 BOX I2) 93 ESP 1 I2] 90 ISF i I2) 100 ASF The foregoing events correspond to those indicated on the flow graph, FIG. 4.

There will now be illustrated the manner in which the command panel is operated in order to cause the apparatus of the invention to furnish the desired analysis of the dialogue.

One way the apparatus of the invention is used is to calculate H values for all the various kinds of dialogue events. This is done by depressing'on the command panel the keys 60, 70 and 78, in that order, and then the spacebar 16 of the keyboard 21. After the key 60 (labeled mode) is depressed, the circuit networks are cleared. After the key 70 (labeled ll-"were desired to obtain, for example, an H s of joint events, i

will be possible to use the keyboard and the key 88 of the command panel to indicate the joint event to be studied. As indicated above, however, the purpose present is to obtain H 's for all the individual kinds of A-person and B-person events, and therefore, the key 78 is depressed. This causes activation of a switch that enables operation of the processor means that is used to determine probabilities and, for the using function generators. arrive at and display the desired bit values of H The spacebar 16 is then hit, and that causes the processor means then to go through a series of steps, the nature of which will be apparent to those skilled in the art, culminating in the display on the l by 10 array of output odometers of the desired information.

lt would have been possible, before hitting the spacebar 16, to have used key 80 -minute frame) and the numbers on the keyboard M to direct the processor means to operate upon a specified 5 minute frame of symbols, rather than upon the entire ensemble of symbols for the dialogue.

If it is desired that the H be determined for the various kinds of symbols occurring in the messages generated by a particular one of the B-persons, for example, B,,,, the procedure is similar. There are depressed on the command panel, in the proper order, the keys 60, 70 and 86. Then, on the keyboard 21, there is typed "01, and the spacebar 16 is depressed. The desired information is then read upon the l0 by ID array of output odometers. The same viewplate may be used to identify the values on the array of odometers as is used in the case of calculating the H values for all the various kinds of dialogue events.

Another way that the apparatus of the invention is used is to calculate the H values for all of the various kinds of dialogue events, or for certain ones of them. in this case, if the H of the entire ensemble is to be determined, there are depressed on the command panel 29 the keys 60 and 72, and then the spacebar I6 of the keyboard 21. The output appears upon the 10 by l0 array of odometers.

Another possibility is the determination of the maximum information H for the B, group. This is done by depressing on the command panel 29 the keys 60, 72, 84 and 62, and then the spacebar 16 on keyboard 21.

Still another possibility is the determination of the maximum information for the events generated by a specified one of the 8 persons, such as B during a specified 5 minute frame or time interval, such as the first one of the dialogue being analyzed. This is done by depressing on the command panel 29 the keys 60, 72, and 80, then typing ()l" on the keyboard 21, and then depressing key 86, again typing "0l on the keyboard 21, and then depressing the spacebar 16.

Another example of the use of the machine of the present invention comprises the calculation of the transmission between two dialogue events such as ASF-eAQF. Before this is done, the operator will have depressed, for example, the keys 60 and 66 of the command panel 29 and the spacebar 16, obtaining on the array of output odometers a matrix of values indicating the number of times that the different kinds of events have occurred in the dialogue in question. There is no purpose served by calculation transmissions that involve kinds of events that did not occur in the dialogue. Of the SO-some possibilities for the first kind of event in a transmission. event A to event B, perhaps as many as two-thirds of the 57 are impossible in a typical dialogue analysis (either did not occur at all or occurred so infrequently that figures are meaningless or misleading).

There is also the matter of picking up the number of occurrences of particular kinds ofjoint events, i.e, how many times,

after ASF, was there immediately an AQF." Various ways of doing this will occur to those skilled in the art. One way involves using two (or perhaps three) pickup heads, spaced apart by the distance between frequency signals on the magnetic tape and each connected through a suitable tuned filter to a relay or the like, leading to a counter. The upstream one tof two heads is connected to a filter tuned for the frequency of the "ASP" trigram and the downstream one is connected to a filter tuned to the frequency of the AQF" trigram, and a relay or the like is connected to the output of the latter filter and causes, when activated, the counting of an occurrence of the desired joint event on an output odometer of the ID by 10 array. Another way involves using one pickup head, running tape under it until one of the two trigrams comprising the joint event is observed. as by a relay connected to a tuned filter, and then backspacing or forward spacing and connecting the head to a different tuned filter, corresponding to the other one of the trigrams, comprising the joint event.

Assuming now that the kinds of joint events with respect to which a transmission is to be calculated, and that ASF- AQF is one of them, the obtaining of the desired transmission may be done by depressing, on the command panel 29, the keys 60 and 74 and then typing, on the keyboard 21, "ASF and then touching the spacebar 16 of the keyboard 21, after which there is typed on the keyboard AQF, with the spacebar again being touched and then the key 92 of the command panel 29. The equipment then operates to produce on the array of output odometers the H of the ASP in bits, H, of the AQF" in bits, the H of the ASF AQP' in bits, and the HR of the AQF ASP" in bits. After the calculations are completed, there is depressed the key 96 from the semanaaad..-

Another possibility consists in the calculation of the "equivocation H (A), where, for example, B=AQF" and A=ASF.' This is done by depressing, on the command panel 29, the keys 60 and 76, then typing on the keyboard 21. AQF" and depressing the spacebar l6, then typing ASP and depressing the spacebar l6, and then depressing the key 88 of the command panel 29 and the spacebar 16 of the keyboard 2], after which there is displayed on the l0 by 10 array of odometers mentioned above the H,,(A) bits, the probability ofAQF", and the "AQPASP bits.

0n the command panel 29, the key 64 (labeled "Flow graph) is used to cause the flow graph, FIG. 4, to be made from the signals stored on the tape, assuming that that was not done simultaneously with the passage of the tape through the machine while the dialogue was being observed.

The key 94 (labeled Graphflow Speed") is used to cause the recorder 28 to rewind and then begin to display the flow graph, FIG. 4 (by unwinding, from the beginning, at a low rate of speed. Those skilled in the art will perceive certain desirable modifications, including means for stopping the flow graph at a desired point, etc.

While certain embodiments of the invention have been disclosed and described herein, it is intended that they cover any change or modification therein that may be made without departing from the spirit and scope thereof.

We claim as our Invention: 1. Apparatus comprising keyboard means for recording the nature of events occurring in a dialogue and for producing a coded electrical signal for each event occurring in the dialogue,

information storage means responsive to said keyboard means for storing each coded signal, command means for receiving indications of preselected analyses of coded signals recorded on said information storage means by the use of said keyboard means.

processor means responsive to said command means and said information storage means for calculating values based upon the frequency of occurrence of selected ones of said coded signals, and

display means responsive to said processor means for indicating the calculated results of a preselected analysis of coded signals recorded on said information storage means by the use of said keyboard means.

2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, characterized in that said information storage means comprises means for generating frequency signals corresponding to the nature of individual dialogue events and magnetic-tape means for recording said signals.

3. Apparatus as defined in claim 2, characterized in that said display means comprises an array of odometers, said array of odometers being 100 in number, and a strip-chart recorder,

4. Apparatus as defined in claim 3, further characterized in that strip'chart recorder includes apparatus for producing a graph indicative of the nature of the various events occurring in a dialogue under analysis and, at the margin of said graph, an indication of the individual persons of one of the groups taking part in said dialogue, whereby the person of said group who has transmitted a dialogue event involved may be identified.

5. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, characterized in that said apparatus further comprises a microphone, a soundrecording means, a sound replay means, and a timer operatively connected to said information storage means.

6. Apparatus as defined in claim 5, characterized in that said information storage means comprises means for generating frequency signals corresponding to the nature of individual dialogue events and magnetic-tape means for recording said signals.

7. Apparatus as defined in claim 6, characterized in that said display means comprises an array of odometers, said array of odometers being about in number, and a stripchart recorder.

8. Apparatus as defined in claim 7 further characterized in that said strip-chart recorder includes apparatus for producing a graph indicative of the nature of the various events occurring in a dialogue under analysis and, at the margin of said graph, an indication of the individual persons of one of the groups taking part in said dialogue, whereby the person of said group who has transmitted a dialogue event involved may be identified.

9. The method of quantifying the quality of a dialogue that comprises causing to be operated while said dialogue is occurring a keyboard means for recording coded signals each of which represents an event occurring in said dialogue,

electrically placing upon an information storage means each coded signal representing an event occurring in said dialogue,

operating a command means for receiving indications of preselected analyses of coded signals recorded on said information storage means by the use of said keyboard means,

operating processor means responsive to said command means and said information storage means to calculate values based upon the frequency of occurrence of selected ones of said coded signals, and

displaying on a display means responsive to said processor means a desired value comprising results of one of said preselected analy 

1. Apparatus comprising keyboard means for recording the nature of Events occurring in a dialogue and for producing a coded electrical signal for each event occurring in the dialogue, information storage means responsive to said keyboard means for storing each coded signal, command means for receiving indications of preselected analyses of coded signals recorded on said information storage means by the use of said keyboard means, processor means responsive to said command means and said information storage means for calculating values based upon the frequency of occurrence of selected ones of said coded signals, and display means responsive to said processor means for indicating the calculated results of a preselected analysis of coded signals recorded on said information storage means by the use of said keyboard means.
 2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, characterized in that said information storage means comprises means for generating frequency signals corresponding to the nature of individual dialogue events and magnetic-tape means for recording said signals.
 3. Apparatus as defined in claim 2, characterized in that said display means comprises an array of odometers, said array of odometers being 100 in number, and a strip-chart recorder.
 4. Apparatus as defined in claim 3, further characterized in that strip-chart recorder includes apparatus for producing a graph indicative of the nature of the various events occurring in a dialogue under analysis and, at the margin of said graph, an indication of the individual persons of one of the groups taking part in said dialogue, whereby the person of said group who has transmitted a dialogue event involved may be identified.
 5. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, characterized in that said apparatus further comprises a microphone, a sound-recording means, a sound replay means, and a timer operatively connected to said information storage means.
 6. Apparatus as defined in claim 5, characterized in that said information storage means comprises means for generating frequency signals corresponding to the nature of individual dialogue events and magnetic-tape means for recording said signals.
 7. Apparatus as defined in claim 6, characterized in that said display means comprises an array of odometers, said array of odometers being about 100 in number, and a strip-chart recorder.
 8. Apparatus as defined in claim 7, further characterized in that said strip-chart recorder includes apparatus for producing a graph indicative of the nature of the various events occurring in a dialogue under analysis and, at the margin of said graph, an indication of the individual persons of one of the groups taking part in said dialogue, whereby the person of said group who has transmitted a dialogue event involved may be identified.
 9. The method of quantifying the quality of a dialogue that comprises causing to be operated while said dialogue is occurring a keyboard means for recording coded signals each of which represents an event occurring in said dialogue, electrically placing upon an information storage means each coded signal representing an event occurring in said dialogue, operating a command means for receiving indications of preselected analyses of coded signals recorded on said information storage means by the use of said keyboard means, operating processor means responsive to said command means and said information storage means to calculate values based upon the frequency of occurrence of selected ones of said coded signals, and displaying on a display means responsive to said processor means a desired value comprising results of one of said preselected analyses. 